Overview
- German chancellor Friedrich Merz will travel to Paris on July 13 to attend a 17:00 meeting of the so‑called Coalition of the Willing focused on security guarantees and further support for Ukraine.
- On July 14 Merz will join President Emmanuel Macron on the official tribune to observe Bastille Day military ceremonies that will include contingents from the Coalition and Ukrainian soldiers as a show of European support.
- The 26th Deutsch‑Französische Ministerrat will meet on July 17 after a preparatory working dinner between Merz and Macron the evening before, with a joint press conference scheduled for 15:00 to announce outcomes.
- A Deutsch‑Französischer Verteidigungs‑ und Sicherheitsrat session is set for 09:00 on July 17 at Fliegerhorst Nörvenich to concentrate on operational security cooperation while other ministers hold bilateral talks at Schloss Augustusburg in Brühl.
- Officials say the programme will pair immediate defence planning for Ukraine with a broader agenda on economic competitiveness, social exchange, resilience and joint Franco‑German initiatives at the EU level.